Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Fingers ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Thumb ; physiopathology ; Trigger Finger Disorder ; physiopathology ; therapy

BACKGROUNDTo repair late median nerve injury, many methods have been used in the past years. The aim of this study was to review a thirteen-year experience in restoration of thumb opposition by transposing flexor pollicis brevis muscle.

METHODSFrom July 1992 to August 2005, 63 patients without thumb opposition because of late median never injury were treated by transposing the flexor pollicis brevis muscle. All the patients had received primary nerve repair after the jnjury. The interval between the injury and the second operation was (1.87 +/- 2.31) years (6 months to 4.2 years). The patients were followed up for 3 to 48 [months mean (22.93 +/- 2.31) months]. A functional evaluation system designed in 1992 were used to estimate the outcomes of the patients.

RESULTSAll the patients gained excellent functional results without complications and disabilities during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSRestoration of thumb opposition by transposing flexsor pollicis brevis muscle has the following advantages: 1. Operative trauma is minimal; 2. It is not necessary to transpose other tendons; 3. Except for the thumb in opposition, movements of other fingers and the wrist are not restricted postoperatively.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female ; Forearm Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Median Nerve ; injuries ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal ; surgery ; Tendon Transfer ; Thumb ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Wrist Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery

BACKGROUNDThumb web contracture is a common complication after hand injury, and can markedly affect whole hand function. Therefore, surgery involving thumb web reconstruction is often necessary to restore normal function of the involved hand. In this study, we present the application of the lateral tarsal artery (LTA) flap in first web reconstruction.

METHODSFrom November 1, 2005 to October 31, 2007, seven patients with severe post trauma or burn contractures around the first web space were treated with a LTA flap. All the patients were followed up.

RESULTSAll flaps survived, with an average size of 6.7 cm x 4.8 cm. There were no complications or recurrent contractures during follow-up. All patients were satisfied with the esthetic appearance and functional outcome of the reconstruction.

CONCLUSIONThe LTA flap could be an excellent option for covering various defects in the thumb web space, serving as an excellent alternative for the thumb web space reconstruction.

Adult ; Contracture ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Female ; Hand Injuries ; complications ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Flaps ; Thumb ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Although extensor tendon rupture often occurs after volar plating for a distal radius fracture, a flexor tendon rupture is extremely rare. Most reported instances of flexor tendon ruptures after volar plating have involved improper placement of the plate, increased prominence of the distal edge of the plate because of collapse of the fracture site, use of custom-made plates, current steroid use by the patient, or a history of tendon injury. We report a case of delayed rupture of the flexor pollicis longus tendon 40 months after volar plating with a 3.5-mm T-locking compression plate for which the distal edge was located at the transverse ridge level of the distal radius. If symptoms such as tendon irritation occur in this situation, surgeons should consider removing the plate as soon as possible after bony union is achieved.
*Bone Plates ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/*methods ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Radius Fractures/*complications/pathology/*surgery ; Rupture ; Tendon Injuries/*etiology/*surgery ; Thumb/physiopathology